Roof module for a motor vehicle

ABSTRACT

A roof assembly for a motor vehicle comprises a rim portion which guides a roof module towards an opening for a sliding roof cover. The rim portion is provided with a water groove formed integrally with the roof module.

[0001] This application claims priority to German Patent Application DE 101 16 456.4 filed Apr. 3, 2001.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] This invention relates to a roof module for a motor vehicle, comprising a rim portion which guides the roof module towards an opening for a sliding roof cover, for example. The roof module may also be used for roof-supported sliding roofs or folding roofs.

[0003] To prevent water from leaking into a vehicle when a roof module drops into the interior of the vehicle when the sliding roof is open, at least one water groove is required at the rim of the opening. This water groove usually is part of a guide of the sliding roof, which guide has to be mounted to the roof module as a separate assembly unit.

[0004] The object of the invention is to provide a roof module which can be produced at a more favorable cost.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] According to the invention, a roof module is provided which comprises a rim portion guiding the roof module towards an opening for a sliding roof cover. The rim portion is provided with at least one water groove formed in one piece with the roof module. Since the water groove is an integral part of the roof module now, there results a reduction in the components required; and what is more is a reduction in tool and piece costs.

[0006] According to one variation of the invention, provision is made that the roof module has an outer skin which extends continuously through the water groove. The roof module may have a deep-drawn outer skin made of metal, or a shaped outer skin made of synthetic material with the water groove formed on in one piece, this resulting in particularly low production costs.

[0007] According to a preferred variation of the invention, it is further provided that the roof module has a spoiler integrally formed therewith and adjoining the water groove.

[0008] This spoiler is necessary in a multitude of sliding roofs, in order to be able to have appropriate influence on the wind noise and the flow conditions with the sliding roof being open. If this spoiler is now formed in one piece with the roof module, there results a further reduction in the number of parts required.

[0009] Further designs of the invention will be apparent from the disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] The various features and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the currently preferred embodiment. The drawings that accompany the detailed description can be briefly described as follows:

[0011]FIG. 1 is a schematic, perspective top view onto a roof module according to a first variation, with the sliding roof cover attached thereto.

[0012]FIG. 2 is a top view onto the roof module of FIG. 1, with the sliding roof cover omitted.

[0013]FIG. 3 shows a section along plane III-III of FIG. 1.

[0014]FIG. 4 shows a section along plane IV-IV of FIG. 1.

[0015]FIG. 5 shows another variation in a view corresponding to that of FIG. 3.

[0016]FIG. 6 is a top view onto a roof module according to another variation with the sliding roof cover omitted.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0017] In FIG. 1 there is to be seen schematically a roof module 10 for a motor vehicle comprising the following elements: a front module part 12, a rear module part 14, two struts 16 (see FIG. 2) extending between the front and rear module parts, and a sliding roof cover 18. Cover 18 serves to close or expose an opening 28 formed between the front module part 12 and the rear module part 14. In the position shown in FIG. 1, the opening is closed. In order to expose the opening, cover 18 may be moved to the rear so that it lies on the rear module part 14. Although there is described by way of example a sliding roof having a cover, the invention may also be implemented in roof-supported sliding roofs, or folding roofs. The term “roof-supported sliding roof” designates a sliding room which, when opened, rests on the automobile's roof skin.

[0018] The roof module has an outer skin 20 (see FIG. 3) which may comprise a synthetic material or sheet metal. The back side of the outer skin is partially lined with a foamed reinforcement layer 22 in a suitable fashion.

[0019] The roof module is provided to be placed on a car body of a motor vehicle and connected therewith. This is indicated in FIG. 4; the strut 16 is bonded with a vehicle roof strut 24 as indicated.

[0020] In FIGS. 2 and 3, it is to be seen that the two module parts 12, 14 each have a rim portion 26 which guides the module part towards the opening for the cover. In the rim portion 26, the outer skin is, for instance by deep-drawing, deformed in such a manner that one water groove 32 each is formed in the module parts 12, 14. In the region of the lateral outer rims of the module parts, the water grooves are configured with a curvature towards the opening 28, so that they continue into a water channel 33 which is provided on the struts 16 (see FIG. 4). The water channel 33 is a shaped part made of synthetic material and is bonded with the strut 16. A suitable sealing compound is used at the transition to the module parts 12, 14 and to the water groove 32. Discharge openings 34 (see FIG. 2) are provided in the water channel 33, for draining the water that has collected.

[0021] At the rim portion 26 of the front module part 12 and adjacent to the water groove 32 as well as below the cover 18, there is provided a mounting part 36 which may serve for receiving a moveable wind defector. In the embodiment illustrated here, the mounting part is put through the outer skin 20 with an anchoring protrusion and is embedded in the foam of the reinforcement layer 22.

[0022] The roof module additionally may be provided with suitable sealing member 38 and further components, for instance for guiding the cover, which are arranged in the water groove 32, but which are not of importance for the comprehension of the invention and, therefore, will not be described in further detail here.

[0023] In FIG. 5 there is shown a variant which differs from the foregoing shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 in that a spoiler 40 is provided on the front module part in front of the water groove, this spoiler being formed in one piece with the module part 12. To this end, the outer skin 20 is formed in a suitable fashion, for example by deep-drawing, and subsequently is provided with a foam backing layer. Since the spoiler is formed in one piece with the roof module, the number of parts is further reduced.

[0024] In FIG. 6 there is shown a roof module 10 according to a second variation in which the opening 28 is not formed between two module parts connected with each other by struts, but is provided directly in the roof module. In this arrangement, the water groove 32 is formed so as to be surrounding and in one piece with the roof module. The cross-section of this water groove is similar to the cross-section of the water groove that is shown in FIG. 3. The discharge openings 34 for the water that has collected in the water groove are provided directly in the water groove. Preferably, connection pieces are embedded at those places under the outer skin in the foam of the lining where the discharge openings are provided. Drain tubes maybe attached to such connection pieces.

[0025] The aforementioned description is exemplary rather that limiting. Many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. The preferred embodiments of this invention have been disclosed. However, one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that certain modifications would come within the scope of this invention. Hence, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described. For this reason the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A roof assembly for a motor vehicle, comprising a rim portion for guiding a roof module towards an opening for a sliding roof cover, wherein said rim portion comprises a water groove formed integrally with said roof module.
 2. The roof assembly according to claim 1, wherein said roof module comprises an outer skin which extends continuously through said water groove.
 3. The roof assembly according to claim 2, wherein said roof module has a deep-drawn outer skin made of metal.
 4. The roof assembly according to claim 2, wherein said roof module comprises a shaped outer skin made of synthetic material.
 5. The roof assembly according to claim 2, wherein said roof module comprise a foamed reinforcement layer under said outer skin.
 6. The roof assembly according to claim 1, wherein said roof module comprises several module parts, at least one of which being provided with said water groove.
 7. The roof assembly according to claim 6, wherein said module parts are connected with each other by at least one strut and wherein provided on said strut is a water channel which is connected with said water groove of said module part.
 8. The roof assembly according to claim 1, wherein said roof module has a surrounding water groove entirely arranged within said roof module.
 9. The roof assembly according to claim 1, wherein said roof module has an integrally formed spoiler adjacent to said water groove. 